The game will be released on September 17th, far later than the previously announced spring release date. The date applies only to the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions.

Rockstar itself has apologised for the slip, which it says is to allow for additional development time.

September is a surprise for two reasons:

Firstly, GTA doesn’t have to compete with the Q4 silly season. It’s Grand Theft Auto! It would sell millions if it were available exclusively through Poundland for only ten minutes at 3am on a windy March morning and people were only allowed to buy it if dressed in lederhosen.

Secondly, September brings it perilously close to when we expect the first of the next-gen consoles should be just about looming on the horizon.

"Grand Theft Auto V continues to push the series forward in new ways; Rockstar North are creating our deepest, most beautiful and most immersive world yet," Rockstar founder Sam Houser stated. "We are very excited for people to learn more about the game in the coming months."

UPDATE: This news means the game has been delayed, of course. We've tweaked the text to reflect that.

MCV is the leading trade news and community site for all professionals working within the UK and international video games market. It reaches everyone from store manager to CEO, covering the entire industry. MCV is published by NewBay Media, which specialises in entertainment, leisure and technology markets.